Amayzing Saddlery, a small saddlery business based in Renfrewshire, Scotland, has been awarded Best Traditional Business category in the Scottish Countryside Alliance awards 2009.
Laura Simpson, who named the business after beloved childhood pony Mayze, set up the saddlery after leaving college in 2006.
“I pushed myself into it really,” Laura told H&H, “and it has been great fun, but a crazy amount of work.”
She explained: “When I started no one knew who I was, but I have been going to all the local shows and business has been growing through word-of-mouth.”
“I was nominated by my customers for this award and didn’t know anything about it until I was shortlisted,” continued Laura.
“I am just a one-woman business who makes saddles and bridles by hand, so to achieve so much in a difficult financial time is fantastic.”
Laura, who is currently training to become a saddle-fitter, also won the award for Best Saddle at the Society of Master Saddlers national competition in February.
Amayzing Saddlery will now be entered into the grand final of the Countryside Alliance Awards, which have been nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars’.
The awards, now in their fifth year, will feature the regional winners from each category and are due to take place on 3 February in London.
